06/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - Bulgaria to privatise rail freight services. The Bulgarian government is taking steps to privatise the freight services of state railway company BDZ, Vladmir Vladimirov, chairman of the Board of Directors of the BDZ Holding, is quoted as saying by Bulgarian press. Privatising freight services was, he said, part of the plan to restructure the troubled state railways (BDZ's debt stands at one billion lev or €500,000,000). Privatisation was first mooted in 2009, but, according to the Sophia News Agency, potential investors in the Bulgarian rail sector (German and Austrian companies) withdrew following the economic crisis. Since then, the agency reports, the national carrier has improved its efficiency. Ten per cent of the rail market has already been privatised in Bulgaria. Infrastructure deficiencies, however, continue to hamper the operation of trains. (A.By./transl.rt)